Role of Nuclear Science in
Homeland Security
(Beyond Basic Research)
June 17, 2008
Daniel Blumenthal
Senior Scientist
Assessments Directorate
Domestic Nuclear Detection Office
Department of Homeland Security
Lab vs Field: Detection
Lab vs Field: Detection
Lab vs Field: “Offices”
Lab vs Field: “Offices”
“Targets”: All Shapes and Sizes
“Growth Industry”: Benchmarks
• IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium
– 2005: “The Role of Science and Technology in Nuclear and
Radiological Counterterrorism for Homeland Security” (lead
plenary talk)
– 2006: “The Role of Detection Technology in Nuclear CounterTerrorism for Homeland Security”
– 2007: “Testing Challenges for Next Generation
Radiological/Nuclear Detection”
• 2006/2008 Symposium on Radiation Measurements and
Applications at U. Michigan/LBL
– Partial funding by DOE, DTRA, DNDO
Increasing focus on Homeland Security applications
at conferences and in media
Nuclear Terrorist Threat: Media Coverage
• “…the single most serious threat to US national
security”
• President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry
1st Presidential Debate 2004
• “Loose Nukes on Main Street” by ABC News
• “Behind Closed Doors” on ABC News
“Loose Nukes on Main Street”
The Players
• Federal Government
– (e.g. DOE, DHS, DoS, DoD, NRC, NIST)
• National Labs
– (e.g. DOE, DoD)
• Universities
• Private Industry
– The usual list of detector manufacturers plus more
– Contracted to government
– Tech transfer from labs
• State and local governments
Scientists’ Roles
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Research and Development
Test and Evaluation
System Architecture Modeling
Manage lab, vendor, and university work
Analysis of data in support of field operations
Standards
Policy
Field Operations
Sample* of Activities
Institution
R&D
Model &
T&E
Simulation
Ops
Support
Emergency Technical Reachback
Response
analysis
ANL
X
BNL
X
X
X
INL
X
X
X
LANL
X
LBNL
X
LLNL
X
ORNL
X
PNNL
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
RSL
SNL
Policy
X
SRNL
Univ.
X
X
Industry
X
X
Gov’t
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
*Areas focus on primary homeland security roles.
Institutions work in areas beyond those listed.
R&D Areas
• Hardware
– Detection materials: larger, higher resolution, more rugged, cheaper
– Detection Strategies
• Passive detection: directional, imaging
• Radiography: accelerator-based (single/dual energy), muon-based
• Active interrogation: (n or g) in > (n or g) out
– Electronics: smaller, lower power, cheaper
– Systems: smaller, simpler, more rugged, more automated
• Software
– Analysis: Spectral, Patterns, Anomalies
– Automatic Z determination
• Modeling
– Detector performance
– High level: encounter analysis
Near-term: Improve systems
and techniques
Long-term: Transform the
way we do business
Test and Evaluation Areas
•
•
•
•
Proof of Concept
Developmental
Operationally Relevant
Operational
Mission
Ensure all technologies, tactics, and processes are thoroughly
evaluated & demonstrated prior to widespread deployment.
T & E: Developmental
(Advanced Spectroscopic Portals)
T & E: Operationally Relevant
(Handheld, Backpack, and Mobile Systems)
Inform F/S/L acquisition
Optimize operational use
DOE Field Operations (examples)
• Aerial Surveys
• Emergency Response
•Apply technology and experience in
fast-paced, uncontrolled environments
•Public Safety
Aerial Surveys
Aerial Survey Method
•Sensitive
•Good spatial
resolution
•Spectral
Lab-quality data
in
harsh
environment
Aerial Survey Products
Radiological Assistance Program
The RAP mission is to provide a flexible, 24hour, first response capability to Federal,
State and local governments for incidents
involving radiological emergencies.
“Behind Closed Doors”
Diversity
Yale graduate physics “class of 85” (22 students)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Homeland security
Detectors for gamma-ray astrophysics (& other applications)
Technically focused venture capital
Management consulting
Wall Street analyst
Medical imaging
Microsoft
AT&T Bell Labs
Physics professor